Hydraulic door closer



May 11, 1965 K. P. SOGOIAN HYDRAULIC DOOR CLOSER Filed June 13, 1965 &2

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. INVENTOR. KALOUST P. Soeomu v TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,182,349HYDRAULIC DOGR CLOSER Kaloust P. Sogoian, 23633 Berg Road, Southfield,Mich. Filed June 13, 1963, Ser. No. 287,641 18 Claims. ((31. 16-52) Thisinvention relates to hydraulic door closers such as are used forlight-weight doors around the home and in light commercialinstallations.

A major problem limiting the use of conventional hydraulic door closersfor home and light commercial use which use a cylinder and piston is thedifficulty in producing a seal between the piston rod and the cylinderhousing into which the piston rod extends. It has heretofore beennecessary to carefully machine the piston rod in order to insure that aproper seal is provided. Such machining adds substantially to the costof the door closer and thereby limits its use. Another problem in suchclosers is that any lateral force on the piston rod which is not alsotransmitted to the cylinder housing tends to cause leakage because ofthe relative radial or lateral movement between the piston rod and thecylinder housing. Another problem in such closers is that as the pistonrod is withdrawn from the cylinder, the vacuum is created because of thedifference in volume. This vacuum tends to cause an erratic action.

It is an object of this invention to provide a hydraulic door closerwhich obviates the aforementioned problems.

. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a door closerwhich will not leak because of a radial force on the piston rod orcylinder housing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a door closerwherein the tendency to create a vacuum within the cylinder when thepiston rod is withdrawn is substantially eliminated.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a door closerwhich can be manufactured at relatively low cost.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a door closerwhich incorporates novel sealing means between the piston rod and thecylinder housing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a door closerwhich incorporates a novel sealing means at the end thereof remote fromthe piston rod.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a door closer embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the door closer in position on a door andjamb.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of theleft-hand portion of the door closer shown in FIG. 1, parts being brokenaway.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a part shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. FIG. 5 is afragmentary sectional view on an enlarged 'scale of another portion ofthe door closer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of stillanother portion of the door closer shown in FIG. 1. I I

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of theright-hand portion of the door closer shown in FIG. 1.

. Referring to FIGS. land 2, a door closer 10 embodying the inventioncomprises a tubular cylinder housing 11 which as shown is preferablycircular in cross section and has one end thereof closed by a sheetmetal plug 13, as presently described, and pivoted to a bracket 14 whichis fixed on a door jamb 15.

A piston rod 16 has one end thereof projecting within the interiorchamber of the housing 11 and the other end thereof extending outwardlythrough the other end of the housing 11, opposite plug 13, and pivotallyconnected to a bracket 17 which is fastened to a door 18.

A valve assembly 19 is fixed on the inner end of piston rod 16 and isherein shown as comprising a U-shaped piston 20 in which a rubber disc21 is positioned for limited axial movement between the flanges 22, 23.Disc 21 is provided with an axial opening 24 and flange 23 is providedwith a small restricted opening 25. By this arrangement, as the door isopened and the piston rod 16 moves to the right relative to the casing11, disc 21 assumes the position shown in FIG. 6 permitting hydraulicfluid to flow readily from the rod end of the piston through opening 25and around the periphery of flange 23 through openings 24 to the pistonend of the casing 11. At the same time, a spring 25 is compressed. Whenthe door is released, the spring 25 returns the piston, the piston rodand the door to their original positions. However, at the beginning ofthis return motion, the elastic disc 21 is shifted axially to the rightas shown in FIG. 1 closing the annular space between the periphery ofthe flange 23 and the interior surface of the housing 11 so thathydraulic fluid can only flow in the opposite direction through openings24 and 25. This throttles the flow so that the door is closed graduallywithout slamming.

In accordance with the invention, the seal between the piston rod 16 andthe casing 11 includes a separable sealing tube 26 which may comprise atube of aluminum or the like which is extruded and has a thickness onthe order of 0.022 of an inch. The tube 26 has an interior diametergreater than the exterior diameter of the piston rod 16 and extends fromthe rod end of the housing 11 axially inwardly. The piston rod 16 is, inturn, formed with a groove 27 .in which a rubber or other resilientsealing gasket 28 is positioned. Behind the gasket 28 a split ring 29 oflow-friction, relatively incompressible plastic material such as nylon,Delrin, or Teflon is positioned. Gasket 28 and ring 29 are preferablysquare in cross section.

Referring to FIG. 7, the sealing tube 26 is provided at its outer endwith a radially extending flange 30 that engages the inner surface of anend wall 31 held in position on the end of the housing 11 by turning theend of the housing inwardly as at 32. A resilient disc 33 is providedadjacent the other surface of the flange 34 and extends radiallyinwardly into sealing engagement with the outer periphery of the sealingtube 26 and radially outwardly into sealing engagement with the innersurface 34 of the casing 11. As shown in FIG. 7, the end wall 30includes an inwardly embossed portion 35 that directly engages anannular surface of the disc 33 around the periphery of flange St Aretainer ring 36 engages the opposed surface of the disc 33 and isyieldingly urged into engagement with disc 33 by the end 37 of spring25. As further shown in FlG. 7, the radially innermost annular portion38 of the retainer ring 36 is embossed axially inwardly providing aspace 39 on the order of 5 or 6 thousandths of an inch so that the tube26 is capable of some limited angular movement relative to the casing.The inner periphery 4d of the retainer 36 is spaced from the outersurface of the sealing tube 26 so that the tube is. also capableoflimited radial movement relative to the piston rod 16.

In operation, the seal between the rod 16 and the housa ing 11 isprovided by the sealing gasket 28 and the inner radial forces, Therelative radial movement of the rod with respect to the tube 26 islimited by the plastic ring 29.

'In the event that a radial force is provided which tends to displacethe piston rod relative to the casing 11, the

flange B ll is free .to move radially without loss of the seal eitherwith respect to the rod or with respect to the casing. Since a muchsmaller portion of the length of the rod extends into the fluidcontaining portion of the cylinder, there is a much lesser tendency tocreate a vacuum when the piston rod is withdrawn thereby obviating theerratic action that occurs due to a creation of such a vacuum.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the end cap 13 includes a radial wall 40 andan axial cylindrical wall 41 connected to axial wall by an annulartapered portion 42. Cap 13 is preferably made of sheet metal. Inpractice, the inner wall of the housing 11 is coated with a resin,preferably room setting epoxy resin. The cap 13 is then press fitted intheend of the casing 11 and the resin is cured in place. to provide asimple, low-cost closure for the end of the housing 11. A diametralopening 43 is then drilled through the wall of the casing and the wall4]. of the cap to receive a pin 44 (FIG. 1) by which the end of thecasing 11 is pivoted to bracket 14.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided a door closer whichprovides an efiicient seal between the piston rod and the casing; whichcan be manufactured atlow cost; which obivates the need for carefulmachining of thepiston rod; and which permits lateral or radial movetube26 limits the stroke of the piston and insures that the seal beween theseal tube 26 androd will be maintained.

I claim:

1. A hydraulic door closer comprising a housing defining a chamber,

a piston rod reciprocably mounted in said housing with one end thereofextending within said chamber and the other end thereof extendingexternally of said housing,

valve means on the end of said piston rod within said chamber adapted toselectively restrict communication between one sideof the valve meansand the other,

a re-entrant wall extending axially inwardly from the end of saidhousing through which the piston rod extends and surrounding said rod,

said re-entrant wall having an'internal surface with greater crosssectional dimensions than the corresponding cross sectional: dimensions.of said rod so that a space is provided between the internal surface ofsaid re-entrant wall and said'rod,

and sealing means carried-by and movable with said rod at a pointintermediate the ends of said rod,

-ment of the piston rod relative to the casing without loss 7 saidsealing means sealingly engaging said internal' surface of saidre-entrant wall to provide a seal.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said I re-entrant wallcomprises a tube and means for supporting I 4 1 through which said rodextends comprising a sheet metal cap member having a radial wall and anaxial wall,

said sheet metal member being press fitted in said housing, and a resinset in situ between said cap and said housing. 5. The combination setforth in claim l'wherein said sealing means on said rod which engagesthe inner surface of said re-entrant wall comprises a groove in saidrod,

and a resilient gasket positioned in said groove and extending radiallyoutwardly to sealing engagement with the inner surface of saidre-entrant wall. 6. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein saidgasketis of the square-cut variety in cross section.

, '7. The combination set forth in claim 5 including a gasket of lowfriction relatively incompressible material positioned adjacentsaidresilient gasket limiting the radial movement between the rod and there-entrant wall.

8. ,A hydraulic door closer comprising 7 a housing defining a chamber, 7

a piston rod reciprocably. mounted in said housing with one .endthereofextending within said chamber and the other end thereof extendingexternally of said housing,

valve means on the end of said piston rod within. said chamber adaptedto selectively restrict communication between one side'of the valvemeans and the other,

a tube extending axially inwardly from the end of said housing throughwhich the piston rod extends and surrounding said rod, 7

said tube having an internal surface with greater cross sectionaldimensions than the cross sectional dimensions of said rod so that aspace is provided between the internal surface of said tube and saidrod,

and sealing means carried by and movable with said rod at a pointintermediate the ends of said rod,

said sealing means sealinglyengaging said internal surface of said tubeto providea seal,

. and means for mounting the end of said tube on said housing forlimited lateral movement bodily relative to said housing.

9. A'hydraulic door closer comprising a housing defining a chamber,

a piston rod reciprocably mounted in said housing with one end thereofextending within said chamber and the other end thereof extendingexternally of said valvemeans on the end of said piston rod within saidchamber adapted to selectively restrict communication between one sideof the valve means and the other,

a cylindrical tube, V I

means for sealingly mounting .said tube adjacent the end of said housingthrough which said rod extends for limited angular and radial movement,

said tube extending axially inwardly from the rod end of said housingand surrounding said rod,

said tube having an internal-surface with a greater diameter than thediameter of said rod so that a space is provided between the internalsurface 'ofsaid tube and said rod, a

and sealing ,means carried by and movable with said rod at a pointintermediatethe ends o f'said rod,

said sealing means sealingly engaging said internal surface of saidtube-toprovidea seal.

. 10. The combination set forthjin claimj9 wherein said sealing means onsaid'rod which engages the inner surone end of said tube adjacent theend of said housing through which said piston rod extends.

. 3. The combination set forth inlclaim 2 wherein said.

means for supporting the end 'of said tube is such'that limited radialmovement of said tube'bodily relative to.

said housing is permitted.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 includingmeans' for sealing theend of, said housing opposite the-end gasket issquare-cut incross'section.

T extending'radially outwardly to sealing engagement with the innersurface of saiditube. I ll. Th'ecombination set forth in claim 10wherein said 12, The combination set forth in claim ll including agasket of low friction relatively incompressible material positionedadajacent said resilient gasket limiting the radial movement betweensaid rod and said tube.

13. A hydraulic door closer comprising a housing defining a chamber,

a piston rod reciprocably mounted in said housing with one end thereofextending within said chamber and the other end thereof extendingexternally of said housing,

valve means on the end of said piston rod within said chamber adapted toselectively restrict communication between one side of the valve meansand the other,

a re-entrant wall extending axially inwardly from the end of saidhousing through which the piston rod extends and surrounding said rod,

said re-entrant wall having greater cross sectional dimensions than thecorresponding cross sectional dimensions of said rod so that a space isprovided between the internal surface of said re-entrant wall and saidrod,

and sealing means carried by and movable with said rod at a pointintermediate the ends of said rod,

said sealing means sealingly engaging the internal surface of saidre-entrant wall to provide a seal,

said re-entrant wall comprising a tube and means for supporting saidtube adjacent the end of said housing through which said piston rodextends,

said means for supporting said tube comprising a radially outwardlyextending flange on the end of said tube,

a gasket surrounding said tube and engaging said flange,

said gasket sealingly engaging along its radially innermost edge withthe outer surface of said tube and along its radially outermost edgewith the interior wall of said housing,

and means for clamping said resilient gasket in such a manner that theflange means is retained with limited permissible radial movement.

14. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises a spring compressed between and engaging said washer andsaid piston rod and yieldingly urging said piston rod axially inwardlyof said housing.

15. The combination set forth in claim 14 including a retainer ringinterposed between the end of said spring and said resilient Washer.

16. A hydraulic door closer comprising a housing defining a chamber,

a piston rod reciprocably mounted in said housing with one end thereofextending within said chamber and the other end thereof extendingexternally of said housing,

valve means on the end of said piston rod within said chamber adapted toselectively restrict communicau tion between one side of the .valvemeans and the other,

a cylindrical tube,

means for sealingly mounting said tube adjacent the end of said housingthrough which said rod extends for limited angular and radial movement,

said tube extending axially inwardly from the rod end of said housingand surrounding said rod,

said tube having a greater internal diameter than the diameter of saidrod so that a space is provided between the internal surface of saidre-entrant wall and said rod, and sealing means carried by and movablewith said rod at a point intermediate the ends of said rod, said sealingmeans sealingly engaging the internal surface of said re-entrant wall toprovide a seal, said means for supporting said tube comprising aradially outwardly extending flange on the end of said tube,

a disc surrounding said tube and engaging said flange,

said disc extending radially inwardly and sealingly engaging along itsradially innermost edge with the outer surface of said tube andextending radially outwardly and sealingly engaging the interior wall ofsaid housing,

and means for clamping said resilient disc in such a manner that theflange means is retained with limited permissible radial movement.

17. The combination set forth in claim 16 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises a spring compressed between and engaging said washer andsaid piston rod and yieldingly urging said piston rod axially inwardlyof said housing.

18. The combination set forth in claim 17 including a retainer washerinterposed between the end of said spring and said resilient washer,

said washer having a radially innermost annular portion thereofextending axially inwardly of said housing and defining a space betweenthe washer and the disc.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENT" 1,041,855 10/12Nordqvist 16--54 2,609,893 9/52 Glassford 18888 2,647,810 8/53McCuistion.

2,949,625 8/60 Guyer 1652 3,057,004 10/62 Sogoian 1652 FOREIGN PATENTS1,05 7,403 5/59 Germany.

DONLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Examiner.

1. A HYDRAULIC DOOR CLOSER COMPRISING A HOUSING DEFINING A CHAMBER, APISTON ROD RECIPROCABLE MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING WITH ONE END THEREOFEXTENDING WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND THE OTHER END THEREOF EXTENDINGEXTERNALLY OF SAID HOUSING, VALVE MEANS ON THE END OF SAID PISTON RODWITHIN SAID CHAMBER ADAPTED TO SELECTIVELY RESTRICT COMMUNICATIONBETWEEN ONE SIDE OF THE VALVE MEANS AND THE OTHER, A RE-ENTRANT WALLEXTENDING AXIALLY INWARDLY FROM THE END OF SAID HOUSING THROUGH WHICHTHE PISTON ROD EXTENDS AND SURROUNDING SAID ROD, SAID RE-ENTRANT WALLHAVING AN INTERNAL SURFACE WITH GREATER CROSS SECTIONAL DIMENSIONS THANTHE CORRESPONDING CROSS SECTIONAL DIMENSIONS OF SAID ROD SO THAT A SPACEIS PROVIDED BETWEEN THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID RE-ENTRANT WALL ANDSAID ROD, AND SEALING MEANS CARRIED BY AND MOVABLE WITH SAID ROD AT APOINT INTERMEDIATE BY ENDS OF SAID ROD, SAID SEALING MEANS SEALINGLYENGAGING SAID INTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID RE-ENTRANT WALL TO PROVIDE ASEAL.